


A Customary Exchange

by StellaVesperis



Series: Fëanorian Week 2021 [4]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Bad Flirting, Caranthir's never done this before give him a break, F/M, Fëanorian Week 2021, Haladin | House of Haleth, Misunderstandings, Referenced Russingon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-26 08:01:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30102795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellaVesperis/pseuds/StellaVesperis
Summary: When Caranthir offered the Haladin land, Haleth kindly refused.Caranthir doesn't like to take no for an answer.
Relationships: Ambarussa & Caranthir | Morifinwë, Caranthir | Morifinwë/Haleth of the Haladin
Series: Fëanorian Week 2021 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2211360
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	A Customary Exchange

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt-fill: Men 
> 
> Some notes about the way I have presented the Haladin:  
> According to the Silmarillion, Haleth had asserted that she wanted to head West and reclaim their land after Caranthir offers his protection. In this fic, I depicted the Haladin as a nomadic group of people, but this may or may not align with canon, so if not, consider that part of it slightly AU. (I mean, everything kind of is, anyway, right?)  
> (This is the first time I have attempted to write this ship, so please bear with me).

Haleth had been listening to the reports of the scouts as the guards gave a shout at the edges of their camp. Her hand flew to her sword as she ran toward the commotion, presuming the worst and- much to her annoyance, discovered that it was a band of Eldar.   
  
Of course, they’d managed to sneak up on the guards. They never gave any warning. At this point, she was certain that Caranthir was doing it on purpose to try and prove how ill-equipped they were.   
  
Scowling, she sheathed her sword and walked up to their captain. No- Caranthir wasn’t here. Too afraid to show his face after she had rejected his offer.   
  
“Lady Haleth,” the elf greeted, eyes shifting.   
  
“Is your lord too cowardly to come here himself?” she challenged, not bothering with the pleasantries.   
  
The captain tensed but did not rebuke her for her disrespect. “He is attending to more pressing matters at present.”   
  
“Nursing his pride, more like,” Haleth retorted.   
  
“Dealing with visiting brothers,” he corrected.   
  
_Oh._ She hadn’t meant to think of it, but just the mentions of brothers sent a pang to her chest at the remembrance of Haldar’s brutal end. “I see,” she said quietly. “What, then, brings you to our land? If it is to renew that offer-”   
  
“It is to bear gifts.” The captain motioned for others to come forth, each bearing a small, intricate chest. They opened them to reveal glimmering gems and necklaces.   
  
Haleth narrowed her eyes. “We have no use for such luxuries,” she replied coldly. “Tell your lord that he can keep his treasures for himself. The Haladin do not need aid.”   
  
The captain coughed. “They’re for you, my Lady.”   
  
“For me?” she frowned, picking up a gem and tossing it in her hand. “What for?”   
  
The captain grew extremely uncomfortable. “Well, you see… it is often customary, to- um…. exchange gifts when-”   
  
“Forging new alliances?” She placed the gem inside the chest and closed its lid rather harshly. “Tell Caranthir if he wishes to earn our allegiance, then he’d best learn _our_ customs first. Get thee gone from my camp.”   
  
Not knowing what else to do, the captain dipped his head and departed. Haleth sighed. The Eldar certainly had strange ways of doing business. 

* * *

Caranthir wanted to die of humiliation.   
  
Of _course,_ the Ambarussar _had_ to be here when the captain delivered his report. He tried to send him away, but the twins had already noticed his reddening face and he had very little choice but to go on at that point. He was quite certain the captain was nearly as embarrassed as he was.   
  
The moment he left the room, the twins lost it.   
  
“Shut up!” He snapped, burying his face into his arms on the table.   
  
“Since when did you take an interest in courtship, Moryo?” Amrod asked.   
“And an Edain!” Amras added.   
  
“I’ll kill you if you don’t shut up!” He threatened, rising to his feet.   
  
Ambarussar, however, seemed unintimidated. “I didn’t know his face could get this red!” They laughed.   
  
Caranthir aimed a punch, and the twins suppressed their snickers.   
  
“Well, to be fair,” Amras began, a little more seriously, “I don’t think that gems were the way to go.”   
“They aren’t practical for Edain. It sounds like her people move around a lot,” Amrod agreed.   
  
“Like you two know anything about courtship,” Caranthir argued.   
  
“Well, we did just spend a week in Himring when Fingon was there.”   
  
“What does that have to do with anything?”   
  
The twins exchanged a look. “Oh, sweet Eru, he’s absolutely clueless,” Amrod muttered.   
Amras placed a hand on his shoulder. “Brother dearest, don’t worry- we’re here to help you!”   
  
“This had better be better than when you ‘helped’ Curufin,” Caranthir retorted.   
  
“Oh, not to worry- we’re actually quite good at it when we want to be,” Amrod said cheerfully. “First of all, what’s this lovely lady like?”   
  
Caranthir folded his arms, face going red. “She’s smart. Handsome. Annoyingly prideful.”   
  
“She’ll be right at home in this family, then.”   
“So what made you go with the gems?”   
  
He threw his hands up in the air. “I don’t know. I like gems. An elleth would like gems. It’s a tradition.”   
  
Ambarussar cringed. “And therein lies the problem!”   
  
“What’s the problem?” He asked bewilderedly.   
  
“You’re giving her what _you_ would like,” Amras elucidated.   
“ _And_ treating her like an elleth, which she is not,” Amrod informed him.   
  
“But everyone likes gems!”   
  
“Well, it obviously didn’t go over well, so why don’t we try another approach?” Amras offered.   
  
Caranthir groaned. “Like what?”   
  
“Well… what’s something you’re good at?”   
  
“Fiscal responsibility?”   
  
The twins blinked. “What’s that?”   
“Sounds cultish.”   
  
Caranthir gave them a dirty look before returning to brainstorming. “Well…” he said something unintelligible.   
  
“Come again?” Amrod asked   
  
“Embroidery,” he mumbled.   
  
“Great! Now we’re on to something.” Amras grinned. “So how can you use that to make her an appropriate gift?”   
“Preferably one that she doesn’t perceive to be patronizing?” Amrod clarified.   
  
“I-I don’t know. A cloak, maybe? A scarf? I don’t do this kind of stuff.” He let out an exasperated sigh. “Can’t we ask Maglor? Isn’t he the romantic?”   
  
“I wouldn’t trust Kano’s romantic advice. His attempts didn’t end very well.”   
  
“They got _married_ ,” Caranthir said. “I’d say it ended well.”   
  
“But she also left him after the Oath,” Amras reminded him.   
  
“And?”   
  
Amrod winced and patted his shoulder. “Good Luck.”   
“By the way, if I were Haleth, I wouldn’t get within a league of you.”   
  
“I hate you both,” he muttered as they took their leave.   
  


* * *  
A few weeks went by, which were mostly uneventful for the Haladin. Thankfully, they had not encountered any orcs recently, and there had been no involvement from any outsiders.   
That was about to change.  
Haleth resisted the urge to scream in frustration when she realized who was walking into her camp again.   
  
Instead, she calmed herself and tried to put on her best diplomatic air. “Lord Caranthir.”   
  
“Lady Haleth.” Was it the lighting, or was his face extremely red?   
  
She tried not to laugh. Certainly, he was working up the courage to renew his invitation.   
Since he made no indication of continuing, she folded her arms across her chest and stared him down.   
  
He pulled out something from the bag he'd carried with him. “I have a gift to bestow.”   
  
She eyed the bundle of fabric suspiciously. He had the air of one asking her father for her hand in marriage. “What do you bring?”   
  
“A banner, of sorts.” He unfurled the fabric to display a small scene.   
  
Haleth’s breath caught in her throat.   
  
Haldad and Haldar were depicted there, dressed in their armor. She did not know how he captured their likeness- though she had heard the Eldar could read minds- but there they were, plain as day. Evermind, the white flower, bloomed around the borders.   
  
She traced her hand across the tapestry, utterly speechless.   
  
“They were brave, and deserve to be remembered,” he said quietly as if to fill the silence. “I know what it’s like to lose family.”   
  
Part of her wanted to slap him across the face for dragging her family into a political situation, and the other half of her wanted to break down and cry. “Do you really dare to use them to manipulate me into an alliance?” she hissed. “That’s a low blow, even for you.”   
  
“Excuse me?” Caranthir’s features registered his shock before hardening. “It’s not a political exchange.”   
  
“Of course it isn’t. Forgive me.” She rolled her eyes. “My people want no part of your plan-”   
  
“For Eru’s sake, Haleth- it’s a gift for you. To remember them by.”   
  
“And why would a lord of the Eldar take the time to do that if not for self-gain?”   
  
A flame seemed to spring in his eyes; Haleth suddenly began to regret challenging Caranthir, having forgotten his might. “Because the Noldor also mourn,” he said fiercely. “We came as strangers to this land. We have fought and we have grieved just like you. Forgive me for thinking that we were equals.”   
  
“Equals?” She repeated, the word having stilled her anger. For the first time, she looked at Caranthir and saw the occurrence clearly.   
Caranthir began to roll up the tapestry.   
  
“I believe I owe you an apology,” she offered stiffly. “I- I’ll accept your gift.”   
  
He tossed it in her direction. “Farewell, Lady Haleth.” He turned away and started off.   
  
She didn’t stop him, but she watched him until he faded from view, shaking her head. She felt quite foolish for having been so harsh.   
  
Haleth picked up the tapestry, looking tenderly upon the people it bore. The craftsmanship was obvious, but even more so the thought. She smiled bitterly.   
  
He really did seem to care for her, didn’t he?   
  
It was adorable. She didn’t know the Eldar could make such fools of themselves.   
  
Well, he would be back eventually. In the meantime, she would just have to come up with a way to thank him. Maybe a gift wouldn’t be amiss, although you could never really tell with the Eldar. She didn't think there'd ever be a day when she fully understood them. 


End file.
